Every year, the people of Japan celebrate Tanabata (aka Star Festival), an event originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It commemorates the meeting of Japanese celestial deities Orihime and Hikoboshi, represented by the stars Altair and Vega. According to legend, the Milky Way separates these star-crossed lovers, and they’re only allowed to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (July 7th). This festive occasion usually includes delicious traditional treats like yōkan—a thick, jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. A Toyota-based Japanese sweet shop called Ōmiya decided to reimagine the customary sweets by creating a dazzling Milky Way-inspired version.
Ōmiya specialize in wagashi, a type of traditional Japanese confection that is made with plant-based ingredients (yōkan is a type of wagashi). The sweet shop’s Tanabata-inspired, lemon-flavored jelly, called Ama no Gawa (Milky Way), features a beautiful blue and purple translucent gradient and specks of edible gold and glitter. The eye-catching treat looks just like a little slice of the star-studded galaxy!
“Done in kingyoku style and flavored with lemon juice, we created a rendition of the Milky Way that can fit into the cusp of your palm,” say Ōmiya (translated from Japanese). “We used multiple colors to imitate the heavenly clouds. First, be sure to enjoy the gorgeous colors with your eyes, and then lastly, enjoy the subtle taste of lemon representing Orihime and Hikoboshi’s bittersweet love with your mouth.”
Check out the magical Milky Way jelly below, plus more of the shop’s sweet creations.
A Japanese sweet shop called Ōmiya created this dazzling Milky Way-inspired yōkan(a traditional Japanese sweet).
It was made to celebrate Tanabata (aka Star Festival), an event that commemorates the meeting of Japanese celestial deities Orihime and Hikoboshi.
近江屋の上生菓子【天の川】
錦玉制
レモン果汁入り
天の川を手の平に表現するイメージで作りました^o^
星雲を表すために色々と工夫しております！
まずは目で小さな天の川を堪能して
最後は口の中でほんのりレモン味の織姫、彦星の恋愛模様をご堪能下さい。#天の川 #和菓子 #近江屋 pic.twitter.com/HewLdp22R7— 菓舗 近江屋 (@oumiya_toyota) June 30, 2020
Here's more from Ōmiya's mouth-watering collection of sweet treats.
近江屋の上生菓子
【とうもろこし】
練り切り製
夏野菜の一つのとうもろこしを作りました🌽
個人的に塩茹でして醤油塗って表面を焼くのが一番好きです^o^
幼い時は、とうもころしってずっと言ってました笑
是非旬の和菓子をご賞味下さい😀#近江屋 #とうもろこし #和菓子 pic.twitter.com/Qw0C1R17S9— 菓舗 近江屋 (@oumiya_toyota) July 10, 2020
近江屋の上生菓子
【夏衣】
淡雪製
梅酒入り
夏祭りの色とりどりの浴衣をイメージして作りました^o^
ランダムに模様が入っていますので一つとして同じのはありません。
是非一期一会のお菓子をご賞味下さい^o^#近江屋 #夏祭り #浴衣 #淡雪 pic.twitter.com/8RJmB04Rzb— 菓舗 近江屋 (@oumiya_toyota) July 8, 2020
近江屋の上生菓子
【スターマイン】
錦玉、黒糖羊羹製
夜空に輝く無数の花火をイメージして作りました^o^
例年なら地元の花火大会で沢山の花火が上がりすが今年はお客様の手のひらで花火をご鑑賞下さい。#近江屋 #スターマイン #花火 #和菓子 pic.twitter.com/6GHeoBCH9A— 菓舗 近江屋 (@oumiya_toyota) July 7, 2020
食べるのもったいない😆✨
近江屋さんの@oumiya_toyota
🎇おいでん花火🎇地元おいでん祭りの花火をイメージして作られたそう✨
今年は各地で花火大会が中止になっていますが職人さんの作る和菓子で季節を感じてみてはいかがでしょうか🍵✨#和菓子 #祭 #花火 #近江屋 #japan #beautiful pic.twitter.com/k8xybibYaJ
— もん (@luv_tokyoart) July 2, 2020
近江屋の上生菓子
【ゴッホのひまわり】
ゴッホのひまわりをイメージしたお菓子を作りました(^｡^)
ゴッホの色使い、重厚な筆のタッチに感動しました！
是非ご賞味下さい(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)#近江屋 #ゴッホ #ひまわり pic.twitter.com/MVnmNa1CcI— 菓舗 近江屋 (@oumiya_toyota) July 1, 2020
Want to know more about the art of making wagashi? Watch one of Ōmiya's chefs in action.
Ōmiya: Twitter | YouTube
h/t: [SoraNews24]
All images via Ōmiya.
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